Internal-combustion engine



Dec. 18, 1928. 1,695,792

' A. ZEMAN v r v INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Filed Aug. 2. 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 A. ZEMAN Dec. 18,1928. 1 1,695,792

INTERNAL couausnon ENGINE Filed Aug. 2. 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

IIIIlI/Il Patented Dec. 18, 1923. 7

neural) sTATss ANTON ZEMAN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINE.

App1ication filed August 2, 192a. Serial No. 126,372.-

This invention relates to internalcombustion or gas engines but more especially to one of the four-cycle V type in whlch the cyhndersare arranged in pairs converging toward one another for connection to a common crank shaft and having an intermediate compression piston adapted to maintain and equalize the pressure of the gases'in the combustionchambers to obtain simultaneous ignition, together mechanism. I I

Among the objects of the invention are'to provide a novel and eflic-iently operating relation between the aligned pairs of pistons with connection to acommon crank ofvthe crank shaft, whereby, when the crank is in a dead-center position to one piston, the worst position for delivering power to the crank shaft, it is always off, i. e. over or beyond the dead-center position as to the other piston, thus presenting one piston in a more advantageous position of operating .efiiciently'to transmit power ,tothe crank shaft with a leverage under'which the pistons are moved on their working strokeswit-h smoothness and ease beyond the dead center, preferably at a 1-5 degree angle instead of having the crank and conncting rodsof both pistons in line, thereby not only facilitating the starting of the motor and of the working strokes of the pistons, but also providing for efficient subsequent operation; to provide a supplementarycompression piston forfequalizing the compression in both or each pair of aligned cylinders at the timeof highest com-- pression and firing, so that there is, no loss of efliciency or power due to lack ofcom pression in the working cylinders or improper timing thereof; to provide a novel arrangement of auxiliary compression cylinders and pistons therein and, actuating means therefor, whereby the auxiliary piston will have a comparatively short stroke and a large area for the purpose of securing maximum compressio-nas specified, without acting as a drag onthe engine; to arrange for the proper assembly of thepartawhereby manufacturing operations are facilitated and proper timing oftheactuating and controlling mechanism is readily obtained, and to generally improve and simplify the construction ofengines to which the invention relates.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent as the description proceeds.

In the accompanying drawings 2+ wit'hf other associated I Fig. 1 is a, transverse sectional elevation of a V-type four-cycle internal, combustion motor constructed in accordance with my invention, the same being taken at right angles to Figure 2; 4 v a Fig.2 is a central longitudinal sectional View taken at right angles to Figure 1, as indicated by'the section line 2 -2.

Fig. 3 is a sectional View taken on the line 33 of Figure 1. i

Fig. 4 is a detail of a modified form vof cam mechanism for actuating the auxiliary compression piston, and

' Fig. 5'is a'detail sectional view of a water jacket connection.

Referring to the drawings in detail, 6 is the crank casing which is bolted to the cylinders 7 and SLplaced in V-shaped relation inclined or converging downwardly toward each other at an angle of substantiallytfi degrees and having jacketed upper walls 9 and heads 10. The heads 10 may be integral or detachable and bolted on in the usual manner, and provided with central openings 11 to receive spark plugs'or other ignition devices 12. Pistons 13 and 14 work in thejcylin ders 7 and 8 and the rods 15 and 16 thereof areconnected to acommon crank 17 of the crank shaft 18 suitably journaled in the crank case, as at 1-9, in such a manner that the piston 13 is slightly advanced on its forward stroke in firing position with respect to the piston 14. In this position, the connecting rod v16, which is bifurcated and straddles rod 15, asshown in igure 2, is in a dead-center position with the crank 17 and connecting rod 19, while the connecting rod 15 is slightly past the upper dead-center position, thereof rotating in a clockwise direction. this particular position is set at an angle of 45 degrees with respect to and in advance .of the upper dead-center or center-line position of the connecting rod 15. The piston 14 isthus in the. same position as in a standard motor at the time of maximum compression an'd'explosion orvfiring, :in a straight line with the connecting rod and crank, the worst and most undesirable position for delivering power to the crank shaft, while the advanced position of the connecting rod and the crank with respect to the piston 13 is such as to produce a. leverage 00-7 which is approxipower to the crank shaft on the working The crank 17in i stroke at the highest elficiency which multiplies the power delivered to the crank shaft due to the easeol movement at this point during the beginning of the working stroke. In the V or space between the cylinders there is provided a relatively large but shallow cylinder 20, the chamber of which is placed in communication with a shallow pas-- sage 21 between and connecting the upper ends of the combustion chambers of the cylinders 7 and 8, through a restricted central opening 22 in a partition wall 23 at the top of and forming a head for the cylinder 20. The casing also has an opening 2labove the passage 210ithe same size as the cylinder to permit insertion of the piston, the

jacket being left open at the top and the r coolingwater which may be circulated by a the shaft 37 one r volution for each four pump not shown) in the usual manner.

An auxiliary compression piston 32 works in the cylinder 20 and is reciprocated in any suitable manner in timed relation to the crank shaft 18 and pistons 13 and 141-, at a ratioot speedof one to four. That is, there is one reciprocation of the piston 32 to each two reciprocations of the pistons 13 and 1 1. As shown, the piston-32 is actuated from a cam shaft 33 driven from the crank shaft 18 in any suitable way, as by means of a chain 3% trained around a sprocket 35 fixed on the" crank shaft and a larger sprocket- 36 fixed on the cam shaft 33 or direct gearing, the ratio of speeds between the shafts 18 and 33 being one to two. A cam shaft- 3 is operated from the cam shaft 33, as by means of a chain 38 trained around a second smaller sprocket 39 on the shaft and a larger sprocket 40 on the shaft 37, to rotate revolutions of the crankshaft 18. I v The intake or each set of cylinders is indicated at 41 and the exhaust at 42 which are controlled by tappet or puppet valves 43 insertible through openings closed by removable plugs 44. The stems 45 of the valves carry enlargements 4.6 which i are pressed by expansible coil springs l? tending to normally seat the valves and the valves are unseated in properly timed relation by means of tappets l8 actuated by cams t?) on the cam shaft 33which engage rollers carried by the tappets to reduce friction between the parts. In Figure 1 the exhaust valve is shown and one of the cams 41-9 for actuating the same, as will be hereinafter more particularly related.

The cylinder 20 has a bottom wall 51 with bleed ducts 52 to permit free down strolre oi the piston 32 and prevent the formation of a dash pot or the offering of resistance to the free movement of the aux liary comnrcs sion piston. The piston 32 is of relatively large area but has a very short strolcc and, as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, is provided with stems 53 operz ting; through open in the bottom wall 51 -nd engaged y the upper contact portions at the free 7 :o the c; i

ends ofarms 55 pivoted at der 7 or waterjacket 9 thereof. or inner endsotthe arms 55 are i i to receive pivot pins 5'? on which are journaled and adapted to 59 lined to the shaft in the re in Figure 2 of the drawings. has two raised portions 60 d,

d porti metrically opposite and depresse 61 also disposed diametrically oposite each other and at right angles to the r ised portions 60 so that during rotationoii'the cams 59, the arms 55, and thus the piston 32, are alternately raised for one o urflier the revolution oi the cams and then allowed to drop. Duiring the latter period, the piston 32 is forced on its down stroke by means of a coil expansion spring 62 disposed around a sleeve 63 extending dmvnwardly from the bottom wall 51 d movably receiving a rod Gi-axially thepiston 32, indicated at 55, ing down through the sleeve which ra tubular extension of the bottom wall 51 of the cylinder 20, An enlargement (3-6 secured to the rod 64 and is engaged by the lower end of the spring which normally tends to hold the piston 32 downwardly.

The intake valve is shown at S? in Figure 3 of the drawings and 'correspondslo the structure of the exhaust valve but is open ated from the cam shaft 33 onen on the suction strokes of the pistons 13, 14;,

In the operation of the en" scribed, the parts are in the pos in Figure 1 when under compres 7 about to proceed on the working strol-ref this positionthe gases have. been pr drawn into the cylinders or com spaces thereof, well. as the passe necting the same including the pa when the intake valve (iifis op pistons 13 and 14 moved downwsrdlv on lllii wardly under the action of the s ,i to suck the into the'cyl ndcr 20 the passage 21 and the opening U the continued movement the piston" 13 and 14; will move upwardly on the co. stroke and when the net-rt ra' l 3 of the cam 59 engages the roller58, t

lit

ton 32 will be forced outwardly on the compression stroke to compress the gases through the opening 22 into the passage 21 and above the working cylinders. This action takesplace as the crank 17 vhas moved over the intermediate position in line with the shafts 18 and 37 until the piston 13 has advanced slightly as shown in Figure 1 so that theflaction of the auxiliary compi'ession piston 32 will'maintain the maxispect to the piston 13 by reason of the angular relation of the connecting rod 15 with the crank 17 at this point. As the pistons move on their working strokes, the roller 58 will continue upon the raised portion 60 of the cam 59 and will be maintained in this position during the return oi the pistons 18 and 14 on their exhaust strokes, at which time the cam -19 will open the exhaust valve 43'to pci'mitthe discharge of the expended gases' The pistons13 and 14 will then move downwardly on their suction strokes with the'valve 43 closed and the valve 67 open, the cam 19 moving beyond the roller and a corresponding .cam (not shown) of the intake valve 67 on the shaft 33 holding it open. During the latter part of the downward strokes of the pistons 13 and 1 1, the roller 58 "will enter upon a de pressed portion 60 0f the cam 59 and permit the piston'82 to move downwardly on its suction stroke to draw the gases into I the cylinder 20 to'be compr ed therein near the end of the compression strokes of the pistons 13 and 14 in the manner as and for the purposes already pointed out. The.

gases are again ignited as before and the cycle of operation is repeated during the sucessive working of the invention;

In Figure 4 of the drawings a modified form of cam is shown to be used in lieu of the cam 59, the same being designated at 68 and having the raised portions 69 and the depressed portions 70 which produce the same efiect in operation as the corresponding raised portions 60 and the depressed portions 61 of the cam59.

It is claimed for-the present internal combustion engine or motor that, owing to the ease and facility with which-the pistonsjare moved on their working strokesby the ad- Vancement of the crank with respect to one of the pistons, thepower will be. more uniformly and efficiently transmitted to the crank shaft, thereby overcoming the sine-fficient dead-center position towhich power is ordinarily imparted on the working strokes of the pistons in standard engines,

thus producing greater power fora motor of corresponding size without losing eflicien= cy due to lack of compression and a minimum quantity in the consumption of gas or other fuel.

It is also to be understood that while I have only showntwo cylinders, any number of pairs thereof may be arranged in lineto drive the common crank shaft 18, this being well Within the principles of the invention as set forth. a I

IVhile I have shown and described my invention in apreferi'ed form, I am aware that various modifications and changes may be made without departing from the spirit of the inventiomxthe scope of which may bedetermined byreference' to the following claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a four-cycle internal combustion engine, a plurality of cylinders arranged in inclined relation, pistons working in said cylinders, and a shallowauxiliary compression member between pairs of said cylinders having connection with said cylinders .to compress the gases therein when one of the pistons has moved over the dead-center position on its working stroke and the other is in its dead center position tocreate aninitial starting leverage on firing. I

'2. In aninternal combustion engine, a pair of cylinders arranged in V-shaped relation, pistons therein and having connection with a common crank shaft, an auxiliary cylinder between the aforesaid cylinders and considerablyv enlarged with respect thereto, said auxiliary cylinder having a small opening at the top establishing.communication with the combustion spaces thereof on each side, a

short stroke shallow piston operating in the auxiliary cylinder, and means for actuating the last-named piston on the end of the compressionstrokesof the first-named pistons.

3. In a four-cycle internal combustion ens gine, a pair of cylinders'arranged inconverging relation, pistons working thereinandhaving connection with a common crank shaft, said pistons on their working strokes being set with the crank in the dead-center position as to one piston and advanced beyond the dead-center position as to the other piston, and compression means having a restricted port establishing communication with the cylinders to maintain compression in the cylinder of the advanced piston while the other piston is in a dead center compression position for firing.

4. In an internal combustion engine, a pair of cylinders arranged in converging relation, pistons working therein and having connection with a common'crank shaft, said pistons on their working strokes being set with the crank in the dead-center position as to one piston and advanced beyond the deadcenter position as to the other piston, an enlarged shallow auxiliary con'ipression cylinder, and a cam-operated auxiliary compression piston in the latter cylinderysaid latter cylinder having restricted connection vith the combustion spaces of said cylinders to maintain the compression in said cylinders at the end of the compression. strokes until firing with one piston over the dead center and advanced slightly 5. In an internal combustion engine, a pair of cylinders arranged in converging relation pistons working therein and having connection with a common crank shaft, said pistons on their working strokes being set with the crank in the dead-center position astto one piston and advance beyond the dead-center position as to the other piston, intake and exhaust manifolds leading into the cylinders, valves controlling the same, canractuated means controlling said valves to alternately open and close the same in timed relation with the intake and exhaust strokes of the pistons an auxiliary cylinder between the first-mentioned cylinders and having a passage connecting the same at their-combustion spaces, a pis ton working in saidauxiliary cylinder for compressing the gases above the pistons at the end of their compression strokes, igni-' tion means for the cylinders, and cam operated means for actuating'the piston the auxillary cylinder in timed relation to the iirstanentioned pistons.

6. In an internal combustion engine, a pair of cylinders arranged in converging relation pistons working therein and having connection with a common crank shalt, said pistons on theirworking strokes being set with the crank in the dead-center position as to one piston and advance beyond the dead-center position to the other piston intake and exhaust manifolds leading into the cylinders, cam-actuated means con trolling said valves to alternately open and close the same in timed relation with the intake and exhaust strokes of the pistons an auxiliary cylinder between the first-mentioned cylinders and having a passage connecting the same at their combustion spaces, a piston working in said auxiliary cylinder "for comprossing the gases above the pistons at the end of their compression strokes, nition means for the cylinder, means normally moving said piston in the at iary cylinder to draw gases into the st c on the snction strokes of the pistons in the firso-mentioned cylinders, and cam-operated ft to move means driven from the cranx share the piston in the auxiliary cylinder on its whereby said piston will start on its working stroke al'ter ignition with the crank er the dead-center. position.

T. In an internal combustion chambers thereof, pistons working in the cylinders and connected toa common crank shaft whereby in the compression positions previous to firing, the-crank will be advanced beyond the dead-center position as to one piston, valve inlet and exhaust passages for the cylinders adapted to be alternately opened and closed in timed relation with the strokes ofthe pistons, a shallow cylindero'l large area between the aforesaid cylinders and having communicacombustlon engine," gacketed cylindersarranged 1n if-shaped re lation and having a passage connecting them tion with the passage therebetween, a piston 7 working in the shallow cylinder, ajacketed cover over the passage and connecting the jackets of the first1nentioned cylinders, means for moving the piston in the shallow cyinder on its suction stroke near the ends of the suction strokes of the first-mentioned pistons, and means operated in timed rela} tion with said pistons and the valved intake and exhaust passages to move the auxiliary piston on its compression stroke near the end of the compression strokes oi the first-mentioned pistons and to maintain said ,inders and to maintain compression in the cylinder of the advanced piston as soon as the advanced piston moves down or over the dead center position for firing in such advanced position. I

9. In an internal combustion engine, a crankshaft, a plurality of cylinders having intercominunication pistons working therein and having connection with, the crank shaft, certain of said pistons being. set one in advance of the other to move over the dead center position prior to the others valved intakes and exhausts for the cylinders, other cylinders communicating intermediately with the first cylinders, and auxiliary compression pistons in saidlast-named cylinders for maintaining the compression in the cylinders in which the pistons are advanced after they have gone over the dead center for firing with. the cranks thereof set at an angle over the dead center posiwith one piston ratio of speed of one to four with respect to the crank shaft and first-named pistons.

10. In an internal combustion engine, a plurality of pairs of cylinders, a crank shaft, pistons Working in said cylinders and having connection with the crank shaft, one of said pistons of each pair being set in advance of the other when both are in firing position, so as to move over the dead center position in timed relation, other shallow cylinders larger than the first cylinders, shortstroke auxiliary compression pistons in the last-named cylinders for maintaining the compression in the first cylinders in timed relation after the pistons therein have moved slightly over the dead center position, and means for firing the gases in said cylinders simultaneously, While the pistons are 111 advanced positions w th the era s thereof set at an angle over the deed center position.

llLAn internal combustion engine having a plurality of working cylinders, an auxiliary compression device including a piston and cylinder, the latter having common communication with the working cylinders, a crank shaft, pistons working in said cylinders and having connection with the crank shaft, the crank oil one piston being set on or about forty-five degrees past dead center with the pistonadvanced at the point of firing or explosion and highest compression of working pistons, valved inlets and outlets for the cylinders, drive means therefor geared to the crank shaft, and said compression means also operated from the crank shaft.

12. In an ,internalcombustion engine, a plurality of cylinders, a crank shaft, pistons working in said cylinders and having con- Vnection with the crank shaft, the crank of one piston being set on or about forty-five degrees past dead center with the piston advanced at the point of firing or explosion and highest compression, valved inlets and outlets for the cylinders, operating means therefor geared to the crank shaft, a shallow cylinder having connection with the compression spaces of the first-named cylinders a'shallow )iston in said shallow c lin- 7 l y der and of larger area than either of the aforesaid pistons, an arm pivotallymou'nted and operatively engaged with the shallow piston'and a cam also geared to the crank shaft and having diametricallyopposite depressed portions and diametrically opposite raised portions adapted for actuating the shallow piston in timed relation to the operation of the first-named pistons.

.13. An internal combustion engine having multiple working cylinders and pistons, an auxiliary compression device including a piston and cylinder, the latter having common communication with the working cylinders, ignition means for the working cylinders, said engine having its firing or explosion point and highest compression when the crank shaft thereof is set on or about forty-five degrees over dead center and one of the pistons advanced on its working stroke.

14. An internal combustion engine in said firing point.

ANTON ZEMAN. 

